Gov. Tony Evers' proposal for drivers permits for undocumented immigrants welcomed by some

Gov. Tony Evers delivers his budget address to a joint session of the legislature at the Capitol in Madison.(Photo: MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL)

GREEN BAY - Maria del Rosario Ramirez drives her car twice a week to her GED classes at Casa ALBA Melanie in Green Bay even though she doesn't have a valid driver's license.

The 49-year-old from Mexico had a license until April 2007, when a change in state law ended the practice of issuing licenses to Wisconsin residents who are not in the country legally.

"I had my license and it was very good. I was always good. I never had any problem. I passed my exam, I studied. I passed the exam… All was good but then they took them away and then it was a little bit more difficult to drive," she said in Spanish.

Late last month, Gov. Tony Evers announced he would reverse that decision with a measure included in his 2019-2021 budget allowing undocumented immigrants to get driver's permits if they passed tests and paid fees.

The announcement was hailed by local law enforcement and immigrant support groups, but also has its detractors who argue that the issue has no place in the state budget and that it should be addressed only after immigration issues are tackled on the national level.

Law enforcement officials in northeastern Wisconsin generally back Evers' proposal, arguing it would reduce the number of uninsured and untrained drivers on the road.

“I think from a public safety standpoint, from keeping Green Bay safer, it makes sense that people who are here are able to drive their vehicles legally,” said Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith.

Smith(Photo: Courtesy of Green Bay Police Department)

Making special permits available would mean more drivers will know the traffic laws, have had a vision test, have insurance and will be less likely to flee an accident, Smith said.

Del Rosario Ramirez came to the United States from Mexico about 17 years ago with her two children after the children's father was injured in a farm accident.

She walks to work, but there are times, like when she needs to get to her GED classes, when she still drives her car. Casa ALBA is the Green Bay-area Hispanic resource center.

"For me it´s a good opportunity that they want to give licenses to undocumented people because even if it can be a risk for the government that we don’t have documents, there are also people that like to study, we like to work, we like to do things… Then, it would be very good, so that we don´t have to hide or to be afraid for not having a driver´s license," she said.

'Dealing with reality'

Currently, 12 states and the District of Columbia issue driver's permits to people who are living in the country without documentation.

It's unclear how many people a change in state law would affect.

Because they were not marked in any special way, there is no way to know how many people living in the state without documentation had a Wisconsin driver's license before the law changed in 2007, said Kristina Boardman, Department of Motor Vehicles administrator.

According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated 75,000 undocumented people were living in Wisconsin in 2016. But there are no good estimates of the local population or how many of those people are old enough to drive.

State Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, said the existence of "thousands and thousands of undocumented immigrants in our area alone,” many of whom are driving, means the issue needs to be addressed even as the nation grapples with illegal immigration.

Joel Kitchens(Photo: Courtesy of Joel Kitchens)

“One of the criticisms is that it would be condoning illegal behavior ... We’re dealing with reality,” said Kitchens, who said he also is in favor of "robust" border security.

What's important for del Rosario Ramirez is that a valid license would allow her to live her life without worrying about what would happen if she's stopped by police.

"That we can feel confident going out to work, to study, without being afraid that they are going to give us a ticket for not having a license," she said.

A budget item?

Among the objections raised by Green Bay-area lawmakers is that Evers' proposal should be considered separately from the state budget.

“I’ve long believed that all non-fiscal policy should be introduced as stand-alone bills outside of the budget and discussed with more public input in the Legislature," state Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, wrote in a statement.

Cowles and others also want assurances the permits would be designed in a way that makes clear the cards could not be used as voter identification.

Evers' proposal states applicants who cannot provide a verified social security number with the license application would receive a license with the words "Not valid for voting purposes. Not evidence of citizenship or immigration status" printed on it.

State Rep. Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, said he has mixed feelings about the proposal but feels strongly immigration issues should be solved at a national level first.

State Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, reiterated the permits would only be for driving, and would give law enforcement information to help find people when needed.

“More importantly the police will know where they are,” he said.

Brown County Sheriff Todd Delain is in favor of the permits but wants answers to a number of questions including how to verify the validity of paperwork presented with an application, and how drivers would register vehicles and get car insurance.

“If we’re going to improve public safety this issue needs to be resolved,” Delain said.

Ending fear

During Evers' February budget address, he noted the driver's permits could be particularly beneficial in areas where mass transportation is limited.

That includes places like Kewunee County, where many of the county's undocumented residents work on farms and there are often long distances between a person's home and their place of employment, stores and schools.

"If they are willing to contribute to our communities and raise strong families and abide by local laws” they should have the opportunity to drive legally, said Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski.

“They’re all operating outside the quote-unquote legal system so they tend to want to avoid law enforcement,” Vickman said of county residents who are in the country illegally.

Being able to drive can also give people the opportunity to leave an unhealthy situation.

“In rural counties, like Door County, there is no public transportation. You’re really reliant on individual automobiles to have individual transportation,” Vickman said.

Casa ALBA Melanie board member Father Ken DeGroot said being able to drive legally would also help with getting people to trust police.

“It would alleviate them of the fear of being stopped and not having a license," DeGroot said. "That’s a big fear."

That fear, and the opportunity to instead build bridges to the immigrant community, are among the primary reasons that law enforcement agencies like the Green Bay Police Department support the proposal, said Cmdr. Kevin Warych.

“Perception equates to fear. Especially with the immigrant community," Warych said. There is so much fear in the community that if they’re driving their kids to school they’re going to get stopped, they’re going to get a ticket or they’re going to get their car towed … we don’t want people to live in fear regardless of what status that they are.”